Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

[MTL0201]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

(11/03/2015 22:39)Bevan Price Wrote:  But don't forget - it was MTL that ordered the Marshall Darts for use on the 79.....

Exactly MTL had already converted some of it's busiest routes to inadequate SDs, routes 8-9-10-10A[although 10-10A had the occasional decker]-12-13-26-27-86 & as you mention 79 were mainly SD allocated routes when Arriva took over, it's only now Arriva are addressing the problem

[wirralbus]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva
In them days though the 79 was home to a multitude of operators unlike now where the 79 and the 14 literally scoop up all the passengers.

[MTL0201]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva
16 years now since Arriva takeover, Arriva have been weird, half the network has been cut but frequencies increased on core routes, & would have seen routes cut no matter who took over MTL,. Arriva have finally got round to buying deckers for the busy routes 10/10A10B/12/13/15/52/52A/75, with the 18 getting deckers later this year, some routes like 15/18 which were 20 minutes under MTL are have doubled in frequency. MTL's foray into Rail is what cost it big time, bleeding money left, right & centre.

Big mistake by Arriva was the St Helens network changes in 2006, that MTL had kept most of the network from the PTE era shows that the PTE got the network right

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

(06/03/2016 11:55)MTL0201 Wrote:  with the 18 getting deckers later this year,

The 14 and 18 are both due to receive double deckers very soon - should be 26-28 Enviro400s for Green Lane this year

[wirralbus]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva
Is the 14 the last of the Quality Bus Partnership routes to get newer vehicles .

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

(06/03/2016 11:55)MTL0201 Wrote:  Big mistake by Arriva was the St Helens network changes in 2006, that MTL had kept most of the network from the PTE era shows that the PTE got the network right

Arriva decimated St Helens with that network change in 2006. Although I was talking to a driver a few days back who said that Management were considering re-introducing something like the old 23/24. Since their withdrawal, quite a big housing development has sprung up between Sutton Heath & Sutton Manor (previously there was very little there and presumably was part of the original argument for the routes withdrawal).

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

(06/03/2016 12:40)wirralbus Wrote:  Is the 14 the last of the Quality Bus Partnership routes to get newer vehicles .

The 14 is currently the only Arriva operated QBP route that hasn't received new vehicles within the last five years but I wouldn't be surprised if the 53 (especially as the vehicles bought for this route were cascaded to another division in exchange for the 52/52A's new double deckers) and 82 receive another batch of new vehicles at some point in the not too distant future

New vehicles delivered to QBP routes since 2009:

10/10A/10B: 2009 & 2015
14: 2010 (new vehicles due in 2016)
53: 2012
82: 2011
86/86A: 2014
471/472: 2013

[wirralbus]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva
Its does make sense to get those QBP routes onto a roll of new buses as this gives routes that are not profitable enough to get new buses be they single or double deckers to get nearly new vehicles at a decent age rather than when they are over the hill and far away.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

(06/03/2016 12:48)St Helens Rider Wrote:  Arriva decimated St Helens with that network change in 2006. Although I was talking to a driver a few days back who said that Management were considering re-introducing something like the old 23/24. Since their withdrawal, quite a big housing development has sprung up between Sutton Heath & Sutton Manor (previously there was very little there and presumably was part of the original argument for the routes withdrawal).

They could really do at just putting things back to how they where, compared to the old Network the new one is a failure

[wirralbus]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva
To be honest there is less competition to Arriva in St Helens now than there has been in a long while . While there is no competition for arriva nothing will really change much.